The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sounded the alarm over what it described as a coordinated plot to discredit the agency and its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, through a wave of calculated media attacks.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the 7th of January, 2026, the anti-graft agency alleged that a coalition of politicians, academics, self-styled civil society actors, and some Nigerian fugitives based abroad has been mobilised to launch campaigns of calumny aimed at weakening the EFCC’s public standing and credibility.
According to the Commission, the alleged smear campaign is designed to intimidate the agency and deter it from carrying out investigations, particularly against opposition politicians, as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
“Their objective is to befuddle the work of the Commission and, through scaremongering, intimidate it into a timid mode, where it will be afraid to investigate opposition politicians for fear of being labelled as partisan,” the statement read.
The EFCC stressed that it remains firmly non-partisan in the discharge of its duties, noting that allegations of corruption would be investigated and prosecuted against any political actor, regardless of party affiliation, without fear or favour.
The Commission disclosed that several high-profile figures from both the ruling party and the opposition are currently under investigation or facing trial, reinforcing its stance that no individual is above the law.
It also clarified that public statements referencing the constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence do not amount to shielding any individual or political group, but rather reflect adherence to due process and the rule of law.
The EFCC further warned that any attempt to pressure, blackmail, or coerce the agency into revealing the identities of politically exposed persons under investigation would be firmly resisted.
Reaffirming its resolve, the Commission stated that it remains committed to justice, accountability, and the fight against corruption, pledging that its mandate would continue to be carried out “without fear or favour.”